There is a long-standing need for improving tire reliability and resistance to deflation in bicycles and other wheeled vehicles. Many attempts have been made to mitigate flat tires using self-inflating systems that include piston-in-cylinder designs, rim mounted designs, and hub mounted designs. The piston-in-cylinder design suffers from several disadvantages that include poor ride quality and handling, a noticeable bump in the tire surface, complicated mechanical elements that are prone to breaking, and limited pumping volume. The rim mounted and hub mounted designs have shortcomings that include expensive to make and use, requiring installation by a skilled technician, considered as a specialty product or optional equipment, and are they not compatible with other hub mounted equipment.
What is needed is a reliable, inexpensive and effective compression device for self-inflating tire systems.